Food lovers rejoice! The hugely popular, summer seaside event, Seaham Food Festival returns this year on Saturday 1 August and Sunday 2 August 2026. 

Organised and delivered by Durham County Council, the festival promises delicious food, outrageous fun, and mouth-watering cookery demonstrations from a whose who of the culinary world. 

Here are six reasons why you should add this year’s event to your summer itinerary. 

1. Only the best celebrity chefs

It’s not just good food that makes for an incredible festival, it’s the brilliant celebrity chefs that get tummies rumbling, and blood flowing, with their passion for the craft. This year will be no different. 

Popular TV chef Matt Tebbutt will be headlining the festival, and the formidable judge from Channel 4’s Bake Off: The Professionals, Cherish Finden will be demonstrating her impressive attention to detail.

Elsewhere, audiences can see BBC MasterChef winner Shelina Permalloo, chef and author, Cyrus Todiwala, Italian influencer, Francesco Mattana, and chocolatier, Oliver Dunn, known as Oli The Choc. Finally, bringing the weekend together will be popular presenter Chris Bavin. 

2. Food, glorious food!

With cookery demonstrations and a thick blanket of culinary aroma covering the festival, there’s no doubt you’ll be feeling particularly hungry, and thanks to 150 traders, you’ll have ample options to tease your tastebuds.

From street food to sweet treats, to local beverages and savoury goods, the only problem you might face is how much you can eat. Whether you’re looking for something tasty for lunch, or you’re in need of a homemade sweet treat or preserve to take home, it will be a food-lovers delight.

3. Are you not entertained?

As the famous Roman adage ‘bread and games’ states, what is food without entertainment? 
Well, at Seaham Food Festival, you can enjoy a host of live music, family-friendly theatre, interactive storytelling, hands-on workshops, and engaging outdoor performances, while you digest that delicious slice of focaccia.

Create a sea creature using willow, coloured ribbon and a pinch of imagination with Willow Crafts, or enjoy a rich blending of smooth R&B, soul, amapiano, and Afro-infused sounds with Mcxxne. Either way, you will not be bored at this year’s festival.

4. Embark on a prehistoric adventure

If the dozens of other options for entertainment weren’t enough, why not travel back in time? 
In Expedition Dinosaur, you can commence on a prehistoric adventure by touching, exploring and learning about prehistoric fossils and replicas. Grab a photo with Stan, a life-sized cast of a T. rex skull, or guess the dinosaurs on display from their bones. Whatever you choose, there’ll be fun for all ages.

5. Don’t forget the ‘sea’ in Seaham

While you’re visiting the food festival, why not make it a weekend trip and see the dramatic cliff top views in Seaham, which sits on Durham’s Heritage Coast.

Sink into the tranquil beauty of the sandy North Beach, with its inviting rock pools, or grab some fish and chips and an ice cream at Seaham Harbour Marina. Later, delve into history and take a photo with the iconic ‘Tommy’ WW1 statue, or visit St Mary the Virgin Church, recognised as one of the 20 oldest surviving churches in the whole country.

6. Why not shop ‘till you drop?

Once you’ve had your fill of culture, food and entertainment, treat yourself with a shopping trip at Dalton Park Outlet & Outdoors.

Here, you’ll find bargains galore at the region’s biggest outlet shopping destination, with over 65 stores selling 200 world-famous brands at up to 70 per cent off. Just be careful getting all those bags back to the car.